The Rescue
by DaynaWayna
Summary: When an earthquake rocks the LA basin, Officers Baker, Turner and Baricza get more than they bargained for. Lots of drama and suspense and a Special Guest Appearance. STORY RE-EDITED JULY 2009.


This is my first CHiPs fan fic, so please be kind :) Special Guest Appearance by Phineas Bogg from the '82-'83 series Voyagers!. Check out my bio for links if you forgot the show or never saw it. It will help you enjoy the story more.

CHP radio codes are at the end of the story.

I own nothing, there's no profit.. blah blah blah. I just like to play with Jon and Phineas. :)

_Story re-edited July 2009._

_**The Rescue**_

"You sure you're gonna be okay without me, partner?" Ponch grinned widely.

Jon nodded, "Yeah, I think I'll actually enjoy it!" He laughed at his friends wounded expression.

"Ouch, Jon 'ole buddy! You cut me to the quick!"

"Go on, get to court. Judge Lindheim will have your badge if you're late."

Ponch grimaced and started his motor. "Alright, Jon, I'm outta here. I'll see you back at Central at 4:30, okay?"

Jon nodded and watched his partner head off for his court date. "Ah, peace at last," he chuckled as he watched the cars from the overpass, waiting for something to do.

About ten minutes later a bright red corvette went racing by, and Jon shook his head as he started his bike and sped onto the freeway. He quickly caught up to the car and attempted to pull along side the vehicle. But before he could make contact with the driver the car swerved, the driver brandishing a gun.

Jon reacted instinctively and swerved into the next lane as the corvette took off down the road like a shot. He gunned his motor and raced after him.

The driver cursed as he saw the motor officer still following him. He cut across two lanes and veered over to the off ramp. Moments later, he heard the familiar wail of a police siren.

"C'mon pig, show me what you've got!"

"LA 15, 7 Mary 3 in pursuit of 23-103, Northbound on DeSoto from the 101 North! I need a 10-29 on new model Corvette, license number 1 Adam Echo Whiskey 972, suspect is 10-36A."

"10-4, Mary 3. Attention all units, 7 Mary 3 is in pursuit of potential 10-36A Northbound on DeSoto at the 101. Units responding identify."

"7 David responding from 101 South at Valley Circle."

"7 Adam responding from Westbound Ventura Blvd. at Winnetka."

"No Bear!" Jon radioed back as he turned onto Clark St. "Go north on Winnetka! Suspect now going East on Clark which connects to Winnetka! You can cut him off!"

"10-4 Jon."

The corvette tore down the residential street and pulled into a driveway about a half mile down. The driver vaulted out and turned just as Jon came into view, fired two shots at the officer then fled into the back yard.

Jon saw the suspect turn and aim at him and he ducked low on the bike and slowed down enough to lay it down and roll clear unharmed. He heard the man slam the gate to the yard and he ran in a low crouch to his bike, gun drawn.

"LA 15, 7 Mary 3, shots fired, 1500 block of Clark St, just East of DeSoto. Suspect has run into back yard of two story home... can't see the address. It's yellow with white trim and there's a Blue Corolla and a White Caddy out front. Pursuing on foot." He threw down the mic and ran to the Cadillac, then to the back gate, missing the reply from Central.

"7 Mary 3, 10-29 is one Mark Bruno, wanted for aggravated assault. Proceed with caution."

Immediately following the dispatcher, Sgt. Getraer called, "Mary 3 this is S-4. Wait for back-up Baker."

Barry pulled up in his cruiser about two houses down and grabbed his shotgun. He dropped behind his open door and grabbed his radio. "S-4 this is 7 Adam. I am 10-97. Mary 3 is chasing suspect on foot and 7 David just pulled up. We're going in."

He motioned to Turner to park near Jon's bike when suddenly the world started to tear itself apart.

**o0o**

Jon crept cautiously into the back yard, trying to filter out the freeway noise from the other side of the retaining wall. He carefully picked his way around the myriad of junk: large book cases, industrial size shelves, tables. He saw movement and raised his weapon.

"Freeze! Police!"

"Go to hell, Pig!"

Mark fired a single shot at the officer, then ran behind a large tree. As Jon dropped behind a fallen table for protection, the ground suddenly heaved and rolled. The rumble and roar of the earthquake was physical as well as audible and it reminded Jon of shelling from the war.

_The shelling was intense, but he never stopped his rhythm. 'Grab, load, duck! Grab, load, duck! Service the gun, get the job done!' He couldn't shake the stupid rhyme from his head, but it kept him focused and chased the fear away._

Debris started falling on him and Jon scrambled away from the wall of junk. He had a split second to decide which way to try and run and in that moment, the ground swelled and then dropped. Without warning, the retaining wall gave way and he flashed back to the attack in 'Nam all those years before. He could hear Lance Corporal Williams shout his warning as if he were right there...

_"Incoming! Dennison, Baker, __**run**__!"_

_The wall of dirt and trees came flying at the two Marines as they abandoned the cannon-like gun and ran for their lives. As Jon got overtaken, he yelled for his Lance Corporal._

_"Williams, help me!"_

"Williams, help!" Jon cried out as the shelving, bookcases, and a wall of dirt and trees came crashing down onto him.

_The pain was intense... he couldn't breathe. His artillery position had taken heavy fire, and one lucky shot hit the cliff behind them, causing a huge landslide. PFC Jon Baker tried to move and regretted it instantly. He was pinned under a landslide of dirt, rocks and debris, but worse than that, a 105mm Howitzer._

**o0o**

"Barry!"

Turner watched helplessly from his car as the quake knocked Barry against his car and cringed as the open car door assaulted the officer, knocking him out. He rode out the thirty second temblor and ran over to his friend.

"Bear? Bear, talk to me."

Barry slowly came to and groaned. "I'm okay, Jeb. Just help me up, okay?"

Turner helped him into a sitting position. "You sure you're okay man? How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Turner I... oh fine. Two fingers and a thumb. I'll be fine, my head just hurts." He rubbed his forehead and felt the goose-egg already forming. "How big do you think that quake was?"

Jeb shrugged, "six point five, maybe a seven. We're gonna be busy for a few days."

Bear nodded slowly. "You aren't kidding."

"Let's check on these houses and see if anyone needs assistance. I'll let Central know we're all right."

Turner ran back to his car and made the call while Bear met some residents outside their homes. As Barry started organizing them into groups he heard Turner call out to him.

"Baricza! Have you seen Baker?"

Barry looked from Turner to the house and back again, shaking his head. He asked some of the men to keep everyone on the sidewalk and then trotted across the street to the house Jon had followed the suspect to. He pulled his weapon and crept between the parked cars up to the garage and massaged his left temple to relieve his headache. He slowly moved toward the backyard gate as Turner provided backup from behind the Cadillac. Glancing back at Turner, he took a deep breath and opened the gate.

"Oh my God."

It looked like a bomb had exploded. The houses in this area were lower than the freeway, so ground level for the trees and shrubs on the freeway side sat about 4 1/2 feet above the base of the wall. When it collapsed, it brought down all the dirt and landscaping with it. Combined with the junk in the yard, the back yard was now a field of debris at least 5 feet deep.

Barry crept into the yard and called softly. "Baker? Baker where are you?"

"You can't catch me, Pigs!" Mark Bruno yelled as he fired a shot at the intruding officer.

Bear heard people scream as he dropped into a crouch behind a fallen washing machine for protection.

"Looks like Mother Nature's on my side today," Mark laughed. "She's buried your little piglet, but I'm gonna find him and finish him off!"

Turner called out quietly to Barry. "Bear, you okay?"

"Yeah, but the guy's going after Jon! Said he's buried somewhere in this mess!"

Turner paled. "It's just us, Bear. We've gotta find Baker. I'm getting my shotgun, then I'll head around to the other side of the yard. Keep him busy."

Bear nodded and called out, "Bruno! You know you can't escape! Make it easy on yourself-" Another shot flew over his head.

"Suey! Suey! Pig pig pig! I know you're here somewhere, Officer, stuck in the mud like a little piglet. When I find you, I think I should put you out of your misery..."

* * *

_Voyager Phineas Bogg landed with an unceremonious thud in a tangle of brush. He lay there a moment to catch his breath and take in his surroundings. It was insanely hot and humid in this jungle, and he wasn't amused. Hardly there a minute, he was already covered in a light sheen of sweat._

_"Bat's breath! Where am I, Hell?" He rolled over to his side and into a sitting position, then opened his Omni. The small brass time travel device resembled a Victorian pocket-watch when closed, but the interior housed a small globe and many dials surrounding it to show location, day and date, as well as a red and a green light near the top hinge._

"_Okay, I'm in… Viet Nam, Tay Ninh Province. April 17, 1968, and I've got a Red Light. Well, let's see what the 'ole Guidebook has to say about this." He picked up the leather-bound book and flipped through to the right section. "Tay Ninh, Tay Ninh, ah, here it is! Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam, 1968, war zone... wait, __**WAR ZONE**__? Great, just what I-" Artillery fire exploded around him and he dove for cover._

_After 5 minutes of heavy shelling, the jungle fell silent. Phineas slowly got up and started to survey the area. "Wonderful. Nothing but jungle." He looked at his Omni, "You couldn't put me near a nice village or town? Now I've gotta find out what's wrong with History with no clues. That's just great." _

_He started walking and was approaching what looked like a landslide when he heard voices. Phineas quickly dove for cover in a dense copse of trees. He heard footsteps approaching and lay perfectly still, his mind racing as he tried to remember what his Professors had said about this conflict and hoped he wasn't discovered._

_Two soldiers walked past his hiding spot and one pointed to the hillside to their left. "Nhìn! Chúng tôi chôn cất Howitzer! Đội trưởng sẽ được vui lòng." (Look! We buried the Howitzer! The Captain will be pleased.)_

_Before his comrade could reply, shouts and gunfire erupted from back at their camp. They spun around and the first soldier spoke again. "Tôi sẽ trở lại trại. Bạn sẽ chắc chắn rằng không ai sống." (I will return to camp. You will make sure no one lives.)_

_The second man nodded as the first ran back the way they had come._

_Phineas watched the exchange and mentally swore when they split up. He cautiously followed the second soldier for about a quarter mile until they came to what looked like a huge landslide. _They must have hit their enemy hard,_ Phineas thought as the soldier checked out the large mound of rubble. The Voyager looked at the top of the pile and saw a large cannon-like gun, then remembered the one English word the soldier had spoken: _Howitzer_. Creeping a bit closer he saw an American flag on the side of the gun and could just read the words_ 2nd Battalion 12th Marines.

_Phineas grabbed his Guidebook and looked frantically for something about this battalion. "Ah ha! Here it is!_ 'April 17, 1968. Tay Ninh Province, Viet Nam. 2nd Battalion, 12 Marines, 4th Howitzer gun unit takes indirect hit from enemy shelling in front of base camp.'

_He looked around and didn't see anything resembling a base camp. "Well there's my Red Light. What the hell are they doing out here, and where is their base?" He read further. _'Single unit survivor, PFC Jonathan Andrew Baker.' _"Survivor? Oh my God..."_

_He jumped at the sound of gunfire to his right. The Viet Cong soldier had just shot a body lying on top of the dirt and nodded with a satisfied smile and Phineas cringed. _

_"I've gotta find that Marine before he does! What I wouldn't give for a gun right now," he muttered. "And I hate guns."_

_Phineas edged his way cautiously around the opposite side of the debris field from the soldier and shook his head. The cliff face above him had been blown apart, causing a landslide at least 200 yards long. Among the debris of rocks and trees he could see the truck and trailer used to tow the gun. The truck was half buried, the trailer was almost unrecognizable and in pieces; he could also see at least two bodies and of course the Howitzer. From the looks of things here, no one could have survived. He ran a hand through his hair and looked out over the area, trying to figure out the best way to locate the man when a muffled cry of pain caused him jump._

_"Williams! I'm... aahhh!" The cry came from almost directly in front of him, and it was loud enough to bring the Vietnamese soldier running over. _

_"Damnit, no!" Phineas whispered as he hid behind a small boulder and an uprooted pine tree. _

_The Viet Cong soldier appeared two seconds later and carefully studied the area. Phineas could see the look of concentration on his face as he listened for the Marine to give away his location and he prayed his own breathing couldn't be heard. _

_"Bạn không thể che giấu tôi người Mỹ nhỏ. Tôi sẽ tìm thấy bạn và sau đó Tôi sẽ giết chết bạn." (You can not hide from me, little American. I will find you and then I will kill you.) _

_Phineas watched in horror as he saw a hand moving in the mound of dirt just off to his right and heard a groan of pain. He was helpless as the enemy soldier stopped at the sound and then smiled wickedly. _

_"Ở đây bạn đang có, mắc kẹt trong bùn như một chút heo." (Here you are, stuck in the mud like a little pig.) The VC soldier raised his weapon, ready to fire._

_Phineas looked around in a panic for anything he could use as a weapon and saw a heavy tree branch about 3 feet away. He sprang from hiding, grabbed the branch and ran at the soldier full speed. The soldier was so intent on his kill that by the time he heard his attacker, it was too late. With a wild roar of anger, the branch connected with the Viet Cong soldier's skull, and he crumpled to the ground._

_The Voyager stood rooted to the spot gripping the branch in both hands. He was trembling and breathing hard, wildly looking around for another person to appear and challenge him. A soft whimper cut through his senses and he dropped his weapon and climbed over to the injured man. He carefully started digging, painfully aware of the partially buried Howitzer about 10 feet above him. He uncovered the man's arm and the top of his head and saw what should have been blonde hair. The pith helmet had fallen over the soldier's face, which had probably saved his life._ Oh my God, how am I supposed to help him?_ "Hang on, soldier!" Phineas dug faster to clear dirt away from the rest of his head. "Soldier, can you hear me?" There was no response. "Oh God no..."_

**o0o**

Officer Baker couldn't move. A very large shelving unit, two large trees and a solid wood entertainment center had landed on top of the rubble that he was under. Before he was buried, Jon managed to cover his nose and mouth with his right hand, an act that gave him a small breathing space, and saved his life. His breathing was shallow, and he thought he could hear someone calling him. His left arm was twisted up above his head and he tried to move it, crying out as he did so.

"Williams, I'm... aahhh!"

Mark's sadistic grin widened as he moved toward the trapped officer. "This is way too easy, cop. Mother Nature must have it in for you like I do since she was nice enough to help me out." He caught movement in his peripheral vision off to his right and fired another shot. "Stay away from me pig, or your buddy here dies!"

Barry had moved a few feet closer before he was seen and swore under his breath. _Damn I was so close!_ From his new vantage point, he could now see the entire back side of the house and had a clear view of Mark Bruno, pointing his gun at something in the dirt. His heart was hammering which made his head pound, and he fought the gruesome scenes that were suddenly playing out in his mind.

_God, please don't make me have to tell Ponch that I couldn't save his partner..._ He gently shook his head and winced in pain at the motion. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the suspect and the situation at hand. He couldn't be emotional. Not now. He looked up at Bruno again and realized he had his back to the house and didn't see Officer Turner peek around the back corner. Turner put his hand up briefly and Bear nodded in acknowledgement. It was time to end this here and now.

"Okay Bruno! Don't do anything stupid," Barry called out, ignoring the pain. "You know we have to get to our man. If he dies, then you have murder added to your rap sheet. Do you really want that?"

"It don't matter to me if he lives or dies. You scumbags won't catch me!"

As Turner crept around the corner to confront the suspect, the first aftershock rolled through causing both men to lose their balance. The officer lurched forward, grabbing Mark from behind. They fell forward into the debris and Jeb had no problem overpowering the smaller man. Once the quake subsided, Barry was able to climb over to his friend's side.

"Help me get him up Bear," Turner said gruffly as he snapped the cuffs in place. "He hit his head on that metal shelving when I tackled him. He's out cold."

Barry's brown eyes twinkled as he smiled grimly. "I'll bet his head's gonna hurt more than mine does when he wakes up. Stupid car door."

Turner stifled a chuckle as they carried the unconscious man to the back porch and cuffed him to the lounge they laid him on, then quickly ran back to where Mark had stood and began looking for Jon.

"Baker, can you hear me?" Turner called. "C'mon Jon, help us out!"

Movement in the dirt caught Barry's attention. It was a tan-gloved hand.

"There he is!" The two officers converged on the spot and started to dig frantically. Bear grabbed Jon's hand, "I've got you Jon. Hang in there, buddy!"

**o0o**

_Phineas had never worked so fast in his life trying to uncover the now unconscious artilleryman. After a few minutes of digging, he had mostly freed the soldiers head, left arm and a small portion of his chest. With the Howitzer above him Phineas knew it would take more than he had alone to free him. Removing the man's helmet he got his first good look at the victim._

_"Since when did they start sending kids to war? He can't be more than 19 or 20!" Phineas held the young man's hand and gently started to rub it. "Hey kid, wake up, huh?"_

_The young soldier responded by gripping Phineas' hand hard. His eyes flew open and he gasped in pain. Not knowing what else to do, the Voyager placed his free hand on the younger man's face and got closer to him._

_"Hey, kid, take it easy. It's gonna be okay. Look at me. Look at me! Its okay, I'm trying to help you. I'm on your side... take it easy. That's it, breathe slowly. Good, good. What's your name, soldier?"_

_Fighting the panic that threatened to overwhelm him, the young man focused on the stranger and tried to follow whatever orders he was given. He was sweating, but the stranger didn't seem to mind._

_"Private First Class Jon Baker, serial num..." he gasped in pain. "Oh G-God! It hurts!"_

_"I've got you Jon. Hang in there."_

**o0o**

"We need more people, Bear. I'm going to get help."

Baricza nodded and Turner ran back out front for reinforcements. He first went to his squad and put in a call to Central alerting them to the situation. Getraer told him there were rescue units in the area and that they would get there ASAP. The Sergeant then put out the order for all officers to stay on task wherever they were and not converge on the downed officer's location. "He's got two of the best with him, and the people of LA need your help, too."

Turner was just getting out of his car when he received a call, "7 David this is 7 Mary 4. Due to earthquake, my court date was postponed. ETA 15 minutes, if the freeways are still standing."

Jeb smiled and grabbed the mic, "10-4 Ponch."

"Turner, how is he?" The worry in his voice made Turner pause before answering.

"Bear's with him, Ponch. We're still working on how to get him out."

Having managed to uncover Jon's arm and head, Barry continued clearing dirt from around his friend's chest. "Hold on, Jon. We'll have you out soon."

Jeb returned with several men and told Bear that they should have help in a little while and that Ponch was on his way. Several men started clearing dirt away from the fallen officer, which shifted the balance of the shelving unit and entertainment center and pushed one of the trees further into the dirt. Jon paled and cried out in pain.

"Oh God, my legs!"

"Guys, back off you're hurting him!" Barry shouted to the rescuers.

Jon looked up at Bear, fear blazing in his blue eyes. "I'm... I can't breathe!"

"Hold on Baker, hold on!"

Turner and two others fought with the unwieldy unit and were able to push it back to its original position. Barry saw Jon was losing consciousness and put a hand to his face.

"Take it easy, Jon, it's gonna be okay!"

**o0o**

_Without warning, the shelling started up again. Phineas covered the Marine with his body and prayed it would stop soon._

_Jon was terrified. "I'm so scared... can't breathe. Make it stop!"_

_"Take it easy, we're gonna be okay, Jon. I promise!"_ Even if I have to Omni you outta here, _Phineas thought._

_A large shell exploded near the base of the cliff, causing the gun to tilt forward slightly. Jon saw the gun muzzle move toward him and panicked. _

_"Don't let me die, please. I don't wanna die!"_

_Once more the jungle fell silent. Both men were trembling with fear, but the Voyager knew he had to be strong for the injured soldier. He sat up again and took Jon's hand. _

_"I can't get you outta here alone, Private. You've gotta have reinforcements somewhere... Hey, Jon, don't pass out on me now, I need you! Private Baker!" He gently patted his face, "C'mon kid, stay with me."_

_Fighting back the darkness, Jon responded weakly, "Not... a kid. I'm... I'm twenty..."_

_Phineas smiled, "Well, I've got 5 years on you, Jon, so you're a kid to me. By the way, my name's Bogg, Phineas Bogg. Does your unit know where you guys are? Why were you out here alone?"_

_"Base was attacked. Heavy fire... the five of us had... just come back to base when... when shelling started. Lance Corporal Williams told us we... we needed to clear base so we could hit the VC... where it counted..." Jon stopped talking and tried to catch his breath._

And that would be why I don't see the base, _the Voyager thought._

_"Where's Williams? And Chambers, or Dennison?" Jon started getting dizzy and clung to Phineas' hand. "Dizzy, make it stop..."_

_Phineas cupped his hand around the Marine's neck and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Breathe slowly Jon, that will help. Stay with me..."_ How do I tell him they're all dead? _He thought in anguish._

**o0o**

Jon's grip started to relax in Barry's and he patted his face to keep him conscious. "C'mon Jon... stay with me Baker! Ponch will kill me if anything happens to you. I gotta protect 'the Kid', right?"

"Not a... kid. I'm... twenty... Don't let me die Bogg, Please..." Jon's voice was small, almost child-like.

" 'Bogg'? Who's 'Bogg'. And you're not gonna die, Jon. Not on my watch. Hey, don't pass out on me... Damnit! Baker, hang on!" Barry turned to the others, "We've gotta get him outta here now."

Tim McLaine pulled Officer Turner and a neighbor over to the side. "Look, the only way we can move this crap is by cutting it up. I've got a chainsaw at the house; Dan, you have one too, right?"

Dan nodded, "Yeah, and I think Goldberg does, also."

"Perfect! Three chainsaws oughta do the job." Turner said. "Go get them and get back here fast. I'll work with the others and see if we can map this out."

Jon fought the darkness and focused on Bear. "I need water..."

Barry turned to the small crowd that had now gathered, "Can someone get me some water?"

A young girl about ten years old edged forward, brown eyes wide. She had a few bottles of water, but was obviously afraid to approach the officer.

Barry smiled and held his hand out to her, "It's okay sweetie, I don't bite." She smiled shyly and walked to him and held out a bottle. Barry took it and gave Jon a small portion, then turned back to the child. "Thank you, honey."

"Is he going to be okay," she asked. "He looks scared."

Her simple honesty shot through Bear's heart and he fought back tears. "We're all a little scared, sweetie. And we're doing everything we can to help him."

**o0o**

_"Where is your unit Jon? I can go get help-"_

_"Don't leave me, please!"_

_The fear in Jon's voice nearly broke Bogg's heart. "Jon, I've gotta go get help! I can't get you outta here by myself."_

_"Don't leave me... Phineas, please! I'm scared..." He started gasping for air as panic started to take control._

_Phineas held Jon's arm tightly and lay beside him face to face. "Jon, calm down! You're only making it worse!"_

_"C-can't... breathe...!"_

How do I get through to him? The poor kid is terrified. He's too young to be here; soldiers shouldn't be so young-_ It suddenly hit him and Phineas hoped it would work._

_"Private Baker!" He said in his best thunderous baritone, "You are a United States Marine! You _will_ follow orders as they are given to you, do you understand?"_

_Fear and training fought for control of Private Jon Baker, and for a brief moment Phineas thought he'd pushed him over the edge. Then he saw a flicker of determination in the frightened blue eyes before him._

_"Sir... Yes Sir!" It took almost all his strength to answer as he was trained, and the blackness swam before Jon's eyes once more._

_As much as he hated to do it, Phineas kept pushing the young man. "Private Baker, you will _not_ pass out do you hear me? Stay with me Private! You will focus on me and you will remain calm!"_

_Jon did as he was ordered, staring directly into the older man's eyes and fought back the darkness and fear that tried to consume him. Phineas kept talking to him and slowly the Marine started to relax. Whoever he was, Phineas demanded Jon's respect and he would not let the stranger down._

_Once the Voyager felt Jon was calm enough, he continued his line of questioning. "Private Baker. We need to alert your Battalion to your location. How do we do that?"_

_"Williams should have... radioed our new position... back to base..." Talking was difficult and Phineas knew he didn't have much time before Jon finally passed out. "Ask... Lance Corporal... Williams."_

**o0o**

The three men returned with the chainsaws and discussed their plan of attack with the others. Bear never left Jon's side and tried to keep him talking. When the second aftershock hit, Jon started to panic.

"They're shelling us again! I don't wanna die!" He struggled against Barry and tried to move, but was instantly stopped by incredible pain. He whimpered, "Don't let the VC get me Bogg. Please don't let them kill me!"

Barry felt a pit of fear and understanding well up from his core and he kept a firm grip on Jon's hand. "Jon, it's gonna be okay. I won't let them get you."

Turner walked up and squatted down beside them. "How's he doin', Bear?"

"He thinks we're being shelled by the Viet Cong."

Jeb looked at his friend in shock. "He what?"

"He thinks he's in Viet Nam, being shelled by the VC." He looked down at Jon, worry written on his face. "And I can't seem to keep him in the present."

Now Turner looked concerned. "Well, we've gotta cut that tree apart so we can remove the rest of this stuff to get him out. How do you think he'll cope?"

"I don't know, but I don't think he can hold out much longer like this. The noise might make him panic. Is there any other way?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so Bear. Those trees are huge and are too big for us to move without cutting them up. Once we get rid of them, the rest of the stuff should be easy enough to lift. Our only other option is to wait for the rescue units..."

"Which will probably take an hour or more to get here." Bear nearly growled in frustration. He felt Jon's grip tighten and quickly turned his attention back to Jon.

Barry lay down beside him and spoke softly. "Jon, we're gonna get you outta here, I promise. But in order to do that, we've gotta cut through some of the stuff pinning you down. It's gonna get loud, but I'll be right here with you, okay pal? I know you'd probably prefer Ponch to me, but I'll do what I can, okay?"

Jon's eyes focused on Bear, "Ponch? Is he... where's my partner...?"

**o0o**

_"Jon... Jon! Bat's Breath!" The young marine finally succumbed to unconsciousness, and Phineas gently lay his hand down with a heavy sigh. He hated this part of being a Voyager; the uncertainty, the fear. Hhe ran his hand through his hair and sighed. _

_"I gotta find that radio, which means I have to find the Lance Corporal... damn I hate this!"_

_He started scanning the area and quickly realized he would need to leave the young man to search._ Please don't wake up before I get back,_ he thought as he walked away. The Voyager spent the next 5 minutes searching and came back to the half-buried truck. He could see the body of PFC Paul Dennison and the legs of another marine and whispered a prayer for the two fallen soldiers._

_He walked past the truck and saw an arm sticking out of the debris. Phineas gently dug around the man until he could see his name patch; it was Lance Corporal Williams. He sighed as he dug briefly around the body but could not find the radio. He walked back over by the truck and dug near the other two marines with no success. The humidity was nearly unbearable and he suddenly bellowed in frustration. _

_Dropping to his knees, Phineas felt utterly defeated. He couldn't dig Jon out without disturbing the Howitzer, he had no one to help him, and Jon _had_ to survive in order for History to remain on track. He took the omni off his belt and stared at it angrily. _

"_What good are you if I can't use you to whisk him outta here? What happens if I fail?" He wiped his hand across his face, eyes stinging from the sweat. "Times like these, I _really_ hate following Voyager rules." He took a deep breath and tried to force a positive attitude. "Okay, I've _gotta_ find that radio."_

_Phineas started to dig near Williams' body once again, but stopped when he thought he heard voices. Jumping quickly behind the truck, he strained to hear more and prayed Jon was alright. Then he heard it again, this time with the distinctive sound of static._

_"The radio! Keep talkin' guys, keep talking!" He spent the next few minutes trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from and then started digging to the left of the Lance Corporal. The voices were getting louder and he dug faster until he hit a solid piece of metal. _

_"Yes!" Phineas freed the radio and another call came over._

_"Gun Unit four, this is base. Please relay location!"_

_He ran back to the injured Marine and tried to wake him. "Jon! Private Baker, I've got the radio." He gently but firmly patted the young man's face. "C'mon Jon, please! You've gotta call in your position."_

_Jon slowly opened his eyes, "Bogg... chest... hurts..."_

_"I know kid, I know. But you've gotta make this call! C'mon Jon, you're a Marine, remember? They're looking for you. Tell them where you are!" Phineas held the radio up and depressed the button. "Show me what you're made of, Private Baker."_

_Jon locked eyes with Phineas and slowly began to speak. "This is ... Private First Class Jon..." he started to tremble, struggling to breathe. Phineas released the call button and tried to keep Jon calm when the radio came to life._

_"PFC Baker? This is Sgt. Dupree. Where the Hell are you guys? Report!"_

_Hearing his Sergeant's voice seemed to make the Private more alert and Bogg smiled._ Never underestimate the power of Military Training. _He held the radio up to Jon once more._

_"Current location... XT 189-717"_

_"We copy Private. Hang on son. Help is on the way."_

**o0o**

Barry did his best to keep Jon calm while the three chain saws cut through the trees. They had to halt work several times because the officer was in a near state of panic. Turner took over for Bear and tried to keep Jon focused in the present, but he kept thinking he was back in Viet Nam, and no amount of cajoling or explaining could get through to him. Just when they were about to give up, Ponch climbed into the back yard.

"Oh my God... Jon!" He ran over to Turner, fear written all over his features.

"Thank God you're here Ponch," Jeb said as he moved so Ponch could be with his partner. "He's semi-conscious, and he thinks he's back in ' Nam. Every time we fire up the saws, he panics but we've gotta get this stuff off of him."

Ponch took Jon's hand and looked at his best friend and partner, tears welling up in his eyes. _I don't even want to imagine what you're going through, Partner._

He turned to his fellow officers. "LA Fire is en route and should be here in ten minutes or less, and Getraer is on his way as well. Let me see if I can keep him calm enough for you guys to continue, okay?"

Turner nodded and stepped back. If anyone could get Jon through this, it was his partner.

"Hey Jon, 'ole buddy. It's me, Ponch." Jon turned his head slightly at the sound of the familiar voice. "Yeah, partner, it's me. I'm here now and everything is going to be fine." It was difficult to sound positive, and Frank's voice cracked slightly. "We're gonna get you outta here partner, but we've gotta make some noise, alright?"

Jon opened his eyes and looked up into his partner's concerned face. "It hurts... Get me out!"

Jon started to panic so Ponch gripped his hand. "Hey Jon, JON. Look at me, Partner, look at me!" He placed a hand on Jon's face, "Baker, we can do this, you and me, okay?"

"Bogg, please... help me..."

Ponch turned to the others, "Who the hell is Bogg?"

"I don't know," Barry said, "but he must have been in ' Nam with him."

"We've gotta do this now," Ponch said firmly. "Wait for my go, then start the saws and don't stop cutting." The determination in Poncherello's voice was all the others needed and they called out orders to the rest of the group.

Jon started breathing hard, "Please, get me... out..." Tears fell as fear overwhelmed him.

Ponch gripped his partner's hand, fighting his own tears. "Jon, remember when I crashed through that store and ended up under that display case? Do you remember how scared I was, huh? You never left my side; it was you who kept that glass from slicing into my throat. You protected me, even when I thought... well, never mind that now. But I'm here for you partner."

Something in the tone of Ponch's voice connected with Jon and he focused clearly on him.

"Ponch?"

"Yeah, Baker, it's me, Ponch. We're gonna get you out."

"It hurts. I'm... I'm scared."

"Me too, partner, me too. We've gotta cut these trees that have you pinned, okay? Three chain saws; they'll make one hell of a noise, but you're safe, alright? I won't leave you." He quickly wiped his eyes so he could see through his tears. "We can do this, Jon, you and me together. Are you ready?" Jon nodded, and Ponch called out to the others. "Bear, Turner, now!"

Three chain saws came to life and Jon squeezed his partner's hand hard.

_The chopper was coming, Bogg said he had to leave. _

_"Don't leave me Bogg!"_

_"I'll be right here, kid." He let go of the young man's hand. "I can't be seen by your people... You'll be fine!"_

"Don't leave me!"

"I'm not going anywhere, partner," Ponch shouted over the noise, "I promise!"

The men cut the trees as quickly and cautiously as they could. A few minutes into the operation, Sgt. Getraer and LA Fire and Rescue showed up. They quickly assessed the situation and were finally able to remove the larger tree and the entertainment center. A moment later Jon gasped and yelled out in pain.

"Ow, my legs!" Unable to stand it any longer, he blacked out.

_He heard his Sergeant's voice before he ever saw him. "Private Baker where... Good God! Get that chopper in here and pull this gun off of him! Medic!"_

_They moved quickly and secured the Howitzer to the chains and slowly lifted the unit into the air. Private Baker cried out as the weight was lifted and he was able to truly feel his injuries. Five Marines, Sgt. Dupree included, worked frantically to free their fellow soldier._

"Dig him out, now!"

Sgt. Getraer, Barry, Jeb, and several fire fighters dug as fast as they could as Ponch cradled his injured partner. "I'm not gonna leave you, Baker. I promise."

_He hurt all over. His legs, his ribs, his right arm; even breathing hurt and he groaned._

_"Private Baker, do you hear me?"_

_"Bogg...?"_

_"Yeah kid. It's me. You clean up pretty good, you know that?"_

_Jon slowly opened his eyes and saw Phineas in a surgical gown and mask and smiled. "You looked better... in the jungle."_

_"Ha ha. Funny. How ya feelin'?"_

_"I feel like I got hit with the side of a mountain."_

_Phineas chuckled as he took off the mask, "There's one in every bunch." He picked up Jon's chart, trying to decipher the doctor's notes. "Four broken ribs, a broken ankle, and ah, a sprained shoulder? You got off pretty lucky there, private." He smiled at the young man, then cleared his throat and looked apologetic. "Look Jon, I can't stay, I'm sorry. But I just wanted to make sure you were okay before I left."_

_"Bogg, where's the rest of my gun crew?"_

_It was a question he didn't want to answer. "I think you should talk to -"_

_"I want _you_ to tell me, Sir." Jon's voice shook, but he was determined to hear the answer._

_The sign of respect was not lost on Phineas and he sighed heavily. The pain in his eyes told the story before he even spoke. _

_"I'm sorry, Jon."_

_The young Marine turned his head, unable to stop the tears. Phineas sat on the side of the bed and took Jon's left hand just as he had in the jungle and let him cry._

**o0o**

It was early evening the day of the quake, and Jon slowly became aware of the dull ache throughout his entire body. His right leg and ribs started to throb and he groaned.

"Hey Bear, Sarge, he's coming around! Jon. Jon, can you hear me buddy?" Ponch gently took his left hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Ponch...?" Jon slowly opened his eyes and saw Ponch looking down on him with eyes that were red from tears and fatigue.

"Hey Partner," he said softly and squeezed his hand again. "Welcome back. I told you I wouldn't leave you."

True to his word, Ponch had never left Jon's side until they reached the hospital. Once Jon was stable and being tended to, Sarge sent Ponch back to Central to clean up and change, and he'd returned within the hour. Turner and Baricza had taken Mark Bruno into custody, then filled out reports and came to see how Jon was doing a few hours later. Around six o'clock, Getrater decided to stop by (ending an almost fourteen hour day) to check up on his officers.

Sgt. Getraer looked down at Jon. "How are you feeling, Baker?"

"Like I got hit by the side of a mountain."

The others chuckled and Barry shook his head. "Well, it's no wonder, with two fractured ribs and a broken leg."

Jon tried to shift positions and gasped in pain, grabbing his side. "Ow! Did anyone get the license number? I gotta write that thing up for assault."

The group laughed and the tension in the room broke. If Jon was making jokes, he was going to be fine.

Turner pulled his chair closer to the bed. "You had us pretty worried, Jon. We're just glad you're okay."

"Amen to that," Barry said with relief. He stood behind Turner still looking a bit concerned for his fellow officer, and finally voiced the question that was on all their minds. "I know it's probably not what you want to think about, but what's the last thing you remember, Jon?"

Jon stared at them for a moment then glanced at the wall, his eyes losing focus. "My gun unit took a hit and was buried in a landslide..." He paused and looked back at Ponch and the others, clearly confused.

"Well, now we know why you were having those flashbacks," Bear said with relief.

"I was having flashbacks?" Jon's face reddened and there was an uncomfortable silence in the room. He stared up at the ceiling and fought the prickling feeling of tears in his eyes as he remembered the attack and the loss of his friends.

Ponch gave his hand a squeeze, "Jon? Hey man, I know it's hard, but it would really help us all out if you told us about it."

"I've... I've never told anyone about what happened back then..."

His eyes got a far-off look as he recounted what happened to his unit on April 17, 1968. It was difficult, and not done without some tears, but talking about it seemed to heal a wound Jon had not been aware of.

"The last time I saw Bogg was in the medical unit," Jon said sadly. "He'd snuck in wearing surgical gear and said he couldn't stay. He was the one who told me I was the only survivor of the attack. He just sat there and held my hand while I cried, and it was the nicest thing anyone did for me that day. Then he got up and said he had to go, told me he expected great things from me, and he left."

"Did you ever find out anything else about him," Turner asked. "Like where he came from?"

Jon sighed heavily and winced, holding his ribs. "No, because... well, Sgt. Dupree insisted that I imagined him, that I was delirious or in shock. But how did I uncover myself, then? I remember being uncovered, and it wasn't by any of my guys. Or how did I get the radio when I know Williams had it seconds before we were hit and we were fifty yards apart? Phantom or Angel, I owe Phineas Bogg my life. And you guys, too."

* * *

_Phineas was able to get out of base camp unnoticed and walked into the jungle. He opened his Omni and heard the familiar chime that accompanied a Green Light. "That kid is gonna be something someday, I can feel it." He looked around and wiped his face, "Man, how does anybody live here? This is miserable! I need a vacation, or maybe a non-dangerous adventure. Let's see how about... Columbus! Ocean Breezes, a fine, sturdy ship. That's what this pirate needs!"_

_Phineas set the coordinates for Spain, 1492 and took one final look around, glancing back at the camp. "Good luck, Private Baker." In that moment before he depressed the button, the Omni switched to Automatic mode, resetting the coordinates. He was going on an adventure alright, but not like any he'd ever experienced before._

_His Omni was set for October 3rd, 1982, New York City._

The End

* * *

**Police Codes and Author's Notes**

10-36A... Confidential info, subject possibly armed

23103... RECKLESS DRIVING/DRIVER

10-29... Check for wanted (person or vehicle)

10-97... On Scene

**Author's Notes:**

I want to thank my husband for once again encouraging me to write and for giving me so many suggestions and ideas... you're AMAZING.

To Sue Walsh: thank you for letting me join your writing group! Because of you, I was able to get my feet wet writing for this fandom and I overcame my fears. I think you've created a Monster! LOL

And to my wonderful friends: SPC Sean Rowland and Sgt. Meredith Rowland (I love saying that!) : Your military expertise was invaluable and you helped me make it 'real'. I couldn't have done this without you. THANK YOU.


End file.
